Africa Cup of Nations 2025: At Least 22 People Killed As Host City Suffers Massive Tragedy
- At least 22 people were killed and 16 injured after two residential buildings collapsed in Fez, Morocco
- The incident, which has caused panic in Morocco, occurred days before the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
- The Super Eagles are set to play all group-stage matches in Fez, with Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon joining after the Egypt friendly
Morocco is mourning a devastating incident just days before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off.
In the historic city of Fez, two adjoining four-storey residential buildings collapsed overnight between December 9 and 10, 2025.
Source: Getty Images
According to the BBC, at least 22 people lost their lives, including four children, while 16 others sustained injuries.
One of the buildings was reportedly hosting an Aqiqah ceremony, a traditional celebration marking a newborn child, when the structure gave way.
Emergency teams worked tirelessly to recover victims from the rubble, while authorities launched investigations to determine the cause of the collapse.
The disaster has caused a sombre mood over what was meant to be a festive period ahead of the continent’s biggest football tournament.
The tragedy also raised concerns about the safety of urban infrastructure in densely populated areas, particularly in Morocco’s older neighbourhoods.
Fez picked as AFCON host city
Fez is also one of the designated host cities for AFCON 2025, with group-stage matches set to be played at the Complexe Sportif de Fès.
According to AlJazeera, Nigeria, along with other teams, will use Fez as a base for their matches, including encounters against Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda in Group C.
Despite its rich cultural heritage, Fez remains one of Morocco’s poorer urban centres.
Ageing buildings and inadequate infrastructure have long been concerns for residents, and this recent collapse underscores the urgency of addressing safety standards.
With AFCON 2025 set to bring fans to the city, authorities are facing the challenge of managing preparations for the tournament while addressing public safety.
Super Eagles prepare for AFCON
The Super Eagles are set to fly to Fez following their international friendly against Egypt on December 16.
Source: Getty Images
Head coach Eric Chelle has named a strong 28-man squad, with key players Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon expected to join the team in Fez.
Nigeria, who were losing finalists in the previous tournament in Ivory Coast, are pushing to win a fourth AFCON title, having previously won in 1980, 1994, and 2013.
The Super Eagles will first take on Tanzania at the Fez Stadium on December 23, before further Group C games inside the same stadium against Tunisia on December 27, and Uganda on December 30.
Supercomputer predicts AFCON 2025 winner
In another development, Legit.ng reported that Opta's supercomputer has predicted the chances of winning of each country, and most of the top-ranked teams are already seen as favourites.
Host nation Morocco is backed by Opta's supercomputer as the top favourites to win the tournament on home soil with a 19.1% chance of lifting the trophy, with a squad that includes the reigning African Footballer of the Year, Achraf Hakimi.
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Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
